Channel-opening machine.



No;- 676,362. v Patented' l'une n, l90l.

L. eonuu.

CHANNEL OPENING MACHINE.

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS GODDU, OF WINCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GODDU SEWINGMACHINE COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

CHANNEL-OPENING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 676,362, dated June 11,1901.

Application filed August 31, 1900. Serial No. 28,626. No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

of the United States, residing at Winchester, in thecounty of Middlesexand State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Channel-Opening Machines; and I do hereby declare thefollow ing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

The present invention relates to machines employed in the manufacture ofboots and shoes, and more particularly to an improved machine foropening up the channels in boot and shoe soles.

In preparing soles for attachment to the uppers of boots and shoes it isthe practice to form a channel in one face of the sole by cuttingthereinto at an angle to the surface and raising the flap thus formed,so that the stitches or other attaching-fastenings may be placed in thechannel and covered by the channel-flap. The raising of the channelflapis known in the art as channel-opening, and a number of machines havebeen heretofore produced for performing this work, which have been moreor less successful in operation. Many of the machines, however, areobjectionable, because they are too complicated and costly, and,furthermore, in their operation they subject the channelflap to tooharsh treatment and great strain in the effort to make the channel-tiapassume the position desired.

It is the object of the present invention to produce a channel-openingmachine of simple construction in which the channel-flap will be raisedand set by imparting thereto a rubbing action proceeding from the baseto the top of the flap without subjecting the flap to the strain andother injurious treatment incident to the operation of prior machines.

To the above end the present invention consists of a channel-openingmachine provided with a rotary tool having a spiral rubbingrib and meansto actuate said tool to cause the point of contact to travel from thebase to the top of the channel-flap.

The present invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 shows in front elevation the head of the machine. Fig. 2 showsthe machine in side elevation and partial section.

Similar reference-letters will be employed throughout the specificationand drawings.

In the drawings, a represents the upper part of a standard or base,which may be of any usual or preferred form, and b the head or frame,which supports the working parts. The head I) is provided with ahorizontal bearing 0, in which is supported to rotate the main shaft d,which at one end is provided with suitable fast and loose. pulleys e andf, by means of which said shaft may be driven by a belt from anysuitable source of power.

At its forward end the shaft (1 carries a bevel-gear g, which mesheswith a bevel-gear h, secured to a vertical shaft t', arranged to rotatein suitable bearingsjj, supported by arms It It, projecting from thefront of the head 17, and this shaft 1' at its lower end carries thechannel-opening tool Z. The channel-opening tool is, as shown,preferably cylin drical in form and provided with a fiat end on, wherebyto form a stop or gage, against which the work may be held, as shown indotted lines, Fig. 1, and also forming a sharp angle to fit closely intothe angle at the base of the channel-flap. Above the end m the tool isprovided with a series of spirally-an ranged rubbing-ribs n, which, asshown, may be in the nature of a continuous spiral rib or which may beformed as several independent ribs spirally arranged.

The tool Z may be formed integrally with the shaft *5, or, as shown inthe drawings, separate therefrom, and provided with a threaded shank 0,received in a bearing 19 in the lower end of the shaft 2', provided withmating threads.

In the operation of the machine of the drawings, after the channel hasbeen cut in the sole in the usual manner, the sole will be presented tothe rotating tool, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1, with the toolengaging closely the angle formed by the flap and sole and moved alongby the operator to subject all parts of the channel-flap to the actionof the tool, which will impart a rubbing and stretch: ing action to thechannel-flap at several points simultaneously, causing said flap tomaintain the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1. The points ofcontact of the rubbing-rib with the inner surface of the channel-flaptravel from the base to the top of the flap, which is thus stretched andset Without being subjected to strain or other injurious treatment.

Having described the construction and mode of operation of my invention,I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates 1. A channel-opening machine, having, in combination, achannel-opening tool provided with a spiral rubbing-rib arranged tocontact with the in ner surface of the channel-flap, and

LOUIS GODDU.

\Vitnesses: HORACE VAN EVEREN, ALFRED H. HILDRETH.

